Gracie Becomes Miss United States
by Mulish
Summary: What happens when Cheryl loses the title and Gracie has to fulfill her duties?
1. Default Chapter

"Good morning, Gracie, how are you today?" "Hi, Mr. McDonald. I'm fine. What about you?" "I'm doing great. Listen. I wanted to apologize to you for what happened in Texas. I know that I wasn't the most caring boss in that situation, and I am sorry that I didn't listen to you and trust your judgment." "Oh, that's fine. I can't say that I really blame you. I mean, after all of the mistakes and rash decisions that I have made, I honestly have to tell you that I really would have done the same thing." "Ok, well, I just wanted to let you know that the Review Board has made an early decision on your hearing." "Really? Well, go ahead and tell me. What's my damage?" "Well," said McDonald, "they were very impressed with your actions in Texas. However, just because you did well on that assignment does not mean that you are excused from the mistakes that you made on the other one. Do you understand that?" "More than you know, Mr. McDonald, more than you know." "I figured you would say something like that." McDonald just stood there for a minute looking at Gracie as she toyed with some of the paperwork that was on her desk. It was clear that she was very nervous about the outcome and she was almost shaking with fear that they would take her job away from her. McDonald rather enjoyed looking at this. He hadn't seen Gracie like this before. She had almost always been calm and cool, and watching her linger was almost pleasing to him. However, he had a heart, and he wasn't about to let her fret forever. "Well, Gracie. I sat down with the Review Board and they asked me what my opinion was. They asked me what I thought should be done." "And what did you say, Sir?" Gracie asked nervously. "Well, I told them that I thought you should finish what you started." Gracie was confused. Hadn't the assignment been closed? The threat was gone, and everything was back to the way it was. Well, almost. Gracie hadn't left her desk since she returned from the Alamo. She feared that she would be chastised for turning over her badge, and she honestly wasn't quite sure whether she would be getting it back or not. Now she was really confused. "Sir? I'm sorry, I don't quite understand." "Cheryl Fraser was arrested yesterday for picketing in front of a veterinary clinic in Washington D.C." "Really? Wow! I thought that she would be using her title to help herself and her beliefs. I never for once thought that she would be continuing on the same road she was before!" "Neither did we. However, one of the stipulations in the Miss United States contract is that there shall be no legal involvement of the police with the Queen, unless it is for the better." "Which means...?" Gracie asked, still confused. "Well, this means that Cheryl has lost her title. She is no longer Miss United States." "Wow! Are you serious? I cannot believe that she would risk that! Winning that program meant the world to her! So what's going to happen now?" "Well, Gracie. That is where you come in. After a thorough talk with the Review Board and also with the Pageant Board, we have all decided that you will just have to continue with the reign." McDonald tried to hide his smile as Gracie's jaw dropped. He knew that she wouldn't like this, but he also knew that if Gracie was Miss United States, it would give her a good opportunity to shape up, and also to help the Bureau by speaking and working to make changes that would help them, such as harsher punishment for parole violators. "Woah...wait just a minute Mr. McDonald. That was not in my job description. It isn't possible for me to take the title. I wasn't an actual contestant. I was an undercover agent. It would be against all regulations for me to recover the title. And on top of that, I won't do it! I am an FBI agent, not a beauty queen! For Heaven's sake! When am I going to get the time to do all of my work? It would be like working two jobs, and I don't get paid enough here as it is!" "Calm down, Gracie. We have worked all of this out. The Pageant Board thought it was a wonderful idea to have you take over the crown. After all, you were the one who saved the pageant. And the Review Board have discussed this in length and decided that you will have to take a sabaticle from work long enough to complete your reign. In addition, you will be graciously compensated for your time away from work, and you will be offered a higher position with better salary when you return. You cannot say no to this Gracie. It's this or nothing. This is all the Review Board has to offer you, and you would be a fool not to jump on it. You have 24 hours to give me your decision." With that, McDonald walked away. Gracie almost started crying. Never in her life had she been faced with such an unfair decision. She would definitely have to think about this one. She would also have to talk to Eric about it. She had no idea how he would respond to it. After all, they had just started a beautiful relationship, and now she would not only have to take a sebaticle from work, she would also have to take one from him. Oh geez, how did she always manage to get herself into these situations? The next 24 hours were going to be the worst of her life.not to mention the next year she was about to serve as Miss United States. 


	2. Gracie talks to Eric

Eric looked at Gracie like she was out of her mind. "Gracie! You mean to tell me that you would give up the chance to be Miss United States? Are you crazy?"  
  
"Eric, I just don't want to lose my position at the job. I mean, you and I both know that the only reason I was in the pageant is because of my job. Even the pageant people know that! Why on earth would they still want me to take the title?" Gracie complained.  
  
"I don't know, but they sure sound like they do. Look, Gracie. This is not something that you want to give up so quickly. Think about all of the good things that you could be doing for the pageant and for the country. I mean, you could even help out the bureau by taking the title. This is an opportunity that you cannot afford to pass up."  
  
Gracie thought about it for a minute. Mr. McDonald and Eric were both trying to get her to take the title. She had thought that Eric would be enraged at the thought and would tell her no, without hesitating. Now here he was, trying to get her to jump on the bandwagon with everyone else.  
  
Sure, it would be a great opportunity, and yes, it could help the bureau. But did anyone even think about what it might do to her and how she felt about it?  
  
Then she thought about it some more. It wasn't a bad idea. The only reason she was so skeptical about it is because of the fact the she went into the pageant under false pretenses. What would America do if they found out that she wasn't actually a beauty queen?  
  
"Gracie? Are you still with me?" Eric asked.  
  
"Alright, Eric. I'll do it. But only because I think that it would be a good opportunity for me as well as for the bureau. I mean, how else will I learn to be a lady like everyone wants me to be?"  
  
Eric walked over to Gracie and held her tightly.  
  
"Gracie, no one here cares if you are a lady or if you are still the same car wreck that you were before (and I say that in a nice way). The only thing that me, Mr. McDonald, and the rest of the crew care about is that you are safe and happy. We all saw how happy you became after the pageant ended, and so we all know how much of an effect it had on your life. You may like to pretend that you don't care and you don't want to take on this responsibility, but you are just lying to yourself. Do this, baby. You won't ever forget it, and it will be one of the best experiences of your life."  
  
Gracie was overwhelmed by the amount of emotion that Eric was showing her. She had never seen this kind of concern from him before, and she just wanted to fall into his arms and never leave. Gracie had never felt this way about anyone before, and even though it was all new to her, she still felt the butterflies in her stomach and felt a pressure in her chest that she wasn't used to feeling. Though they hadn't been together long, Gracie was still sure that her and Eric were going to spend many happy moments together.  
  
"Ok, Eric, when do I leave?" 


End file.
